The present invention relates to child seat restraining devices, and more specifically child seat restraining devices for central mounting on a vehicle seat which allow for convenient loading and unloading, and a method of making the same.
Child car seats are required in almost all states for infants and small children traveling in vehicles on public roads. Numerous organizations specializing in child safety strongly recommend that the child car seat be placed in the center position of a vehicle""s rear seat. Placement in the center position is believed to provide the most safety for infants and children, especially when the vehicle is involved in a side collision. However, parents and caretakers often find it difficult and physically straining to remove a child car seat or to remove a child from the center position of the rear seat.
Obtaining access to the car seat or the child often requires the parent to awkwardly position herself inside the vehicle. Because the space in the rear seat is limited, this awkward positioning often requires the parent to strain while lifting the child or car seat. This strain can result in injury or inconvenience to both the parent and the child being removed.
Several attempts have been made to address some of the foregoing problems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,545 issued to Ernst on Sep. 4, 2001 discloses an infant carrier loading device. A slide member is placed on the vehicle seat adjacent a base for a child car seat. A child carrier can be loaded onto the base via sliding over the slide member. Such a method of loading a child car seat has several disadvantages. For example, the slide member takes up space on the vehicle seat, or must be removed and stored elsewhere, and the mechanism can only be used with child car seats specifically designed for this configuration.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,807 issued to Hampton on Dec. 12, 2000 discloses another form of infant restraining seat. The seat slides along a pivotal base member such that the seat can be moved forward in the vehicle and pivoted toward a door. Numerous problems exist with respect to this configuration. As above, only a child car seat specifically designed for this purpose can be utilized; conventional car seats cannot interface with this system. Additionally, the need to move the seat forward in the vehicle prior to pivoting the base member toward the door can be problematic when limited room is available in the rear seat of a vehicle. Furthermore, the seat cannot pivot with respect to the base member, and thus, only a single position is available for loading and unloading. Finally, failure of a securing means could allow the child car seat to thrust forward along the track on the base member in the event of an accident.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a child seat restraining device which does not occupy additional seat space, does not require forward motion in the vehicle, offers greater convenience to parents and caretakers when loading and unloading a child or a child car seat from the center position in the rear seat of a vehicle, reduces relative motion between elements, and is optionally adapted to function with substantially any commercially available child car seat without the need for a specially adapted car seat.
In view of the deficiencies described above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a child seat restraining device which is of greater convenience and utility to those loading and unloading children or child car seats into or from the center position of the rear seat in a vehicle.
In accordance with the above objectives, the present invention is a child seat restraining device which provides convenience and utility to parents and caretakers. The device of the present invention is provided to be mounted in the center position of the rear seat of a vehicle. The device includes a stationary base having a bottom side, a top side, and a securing mechanism to secure the base to the vehicle seat. The base can be secured to the vehicle seat via a conventional vehicle safety belt, or via base mounting tethers which attach to anchors which are pre-installed in recently manufactured vehicles. Some vehicles have upper and lower anchors installed which receive upper and lower base mounting tethers. Newly manufactured vehicles are required to have anchors installed in the vehicle seat to engage tethers mounted on child seats as part of the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (xe2x80x9cLATCHxe2x80x9d) system. A LATCH-compliant vehicle can receive side mounted base mounting tethers.
A mobile platform is movably attached to the base in such a manner that the mobile platform can be moved laterally toward one of the vehicle doors for loading and unloading. In one embodiment, the mobile platform can be moved only laterally toward the door with respect to the base. In another embodiment, the mobile platform is additionally rotatable with respect to the base and optionally capable of limited forward motion. A locking mechanism locks the mobile platform into place on the base in a secure manner, and can be released so that the mobile platform can be moved.
In one embodiment, a child seat is secured directly to the mobile platform. In another embodiment, the child seat is attached to a rotating platform which is rotatably mounted on the mobile platform to provide additional range of motion. Alternatively, the rotating platform is mounted between the base and the mobile platform, and the child seat is mounted to the mobile platform. In either embodiment, several modes of usage are present. Infant and child car seats are made in various manners. The terms xe2x80x9cinfant seat,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cchild seat,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9ccar seat,xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cchild car seatxe2x80x9d are used interchangeably herein to indicate any seat for holding a child or infant in a vehicle. Some such seats are designed to be carriers in addition to car seats. Some car seats have two components, a base to remain in a vehicle, and a carrier which is detachable from the base. Other car seats have only a single component, that being a carrier or seat. The terms xe2x80x9cinfant seat,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cchild seat,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9ccar seat,xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cchild car seatxe2x80x9d are used herein to indicate any one of these devices, either in whole or in part. The device of the present invention can receive the base of a commercially available two-piece car seat, or a carrier or independent seat designed to fit directly on a vehicle seat. Alternatively, a specially designed seat or seat and base combination can be used to meet specifications of the present device. In order to distinguish between elements, as used herein, the term xe2x80x9cchild seat basexe2x80x9d means the base component of a two-piece child seat having a base and a removable child seating member. The term xe2x80x9cchild seating memberxe2x80x9d means a carrier or component directly into which a child sits or lies in a two-piece child seat, or the entire child seat in a one-piece child seat device. A child seating member may be an infant carrier or an upright seat for an older child.
In the embodiment which includes a rotating platform, the device can be used most conveniently. A child or child seat can be removed from the device while positioned near the door of the vehicle. Ideally, the rotating platform can be positioned such that the child""s feet are toward the door, or optionally, away from the door. Preferably, the child seat can either be rotated to the desired rear-facing or forward-facing position, and then the mobile platform can be pushed in toward the center of the seat and locked into place. Alternatively, the mobile platform can be pushed toward the center of the vehicle seat first, and then the rotating platform can be rotated into the desired position.
Security rails are preferably provided to interlock the various platforms and prevent undesirable movement therebetween in the event of an accident. Various configurations are contemplated, including a security rail extending from the stationary base to engage either or both of the mobile platform and the rotating platform. Optionally, a security rail extends from the mobile platform to engage the rotating platform, or vice versa.
The car seat is attached to either the mobile platform or the rotating platform in the various embodiments of the present invention. Any attachment means is contemplated, including a safety belt type fastener, tethers and anchors, or additional elements or suitable mounting equipment above or on the upper-most platform.
In an additional embodiment of the present invention, the upper-most platform of the device is a child seat base, and is optionally removably mounted. Alternatively, the upper-most platform is integral with or fixedly attached to a child seat base. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cintegral withxe2x80x9d refers to a component which is either formed of the same component or fixedly attached. In this embodiment, a child seat base includes mounting means for movably mounting the base to either the stationary platform or the middle platform. If the child seat base serves as the mobile platform, it is mounted in such a manner that it is capable of lateral displacement. Alternatively, if the child seat base serves as the rotating platform, it is rotatably mounted. In one mode of this embodiment, the upper-most platform is designed as a child seat base capable of receiving a child seating member, either specially configured to receive a specific child seating member, or generally configured for receiving substantially any commercially available child seating member.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the upper-most platform of the device is a child seating member. Alternatively, the upper-most platform is integral with or fixedly attached to a child seating member. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cintegral withxe2x80x9d refers to a component which is either formed of the same component or fixedly attached, and thus shall encompass the platform being the child seating member, or the platform being fixedly attached to the child seating member. In this embodiment, a child seating member includes mounting means for movably mounting the child seating member to either the stationary platform or the middle platform. If the child seating member serves as the mobile platform, it is mounted in such a manner that it is capable of lateral displacement. Alternatively, if the child seating member serves as the rotating platform, it is rotatably mounted.
A method for manufacturing the device of the present invention by providing the various components described in detail below is also disclosed.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the following drawings.